This is what he said:
"I do not believe, and I know this is a horrible thing to say, but I do not believe that the president loves America. He doesn’t love you. And he doesn’t love me. He wasn’t brought up the way you were brought up and I was brought up through love of this country."Well, the pundit class went nuts! The progressives could barely speak and had to hiss, they were so mad. The Republicans haughtily explained that there was no need to explain: What Giuliani said was very, very, very close to the truth.
Giuliani went on Fox News and said well, yes, Obama is probably a patriot but he keeps saying bad things about America, something no other president before him ever did. He doesn't believe in American exceptionalism, blah, blah, blah.
"I believe in American exceptionalism with every fiber of my being," [Obama] said at West Point in 2014. "But what makes us exceptional is not our ability to flout international norms and the rule of law; it’s our willingness to affirm them through our actions."Then Giuliani went on the air wherever he could and kept at it and kept at it and kept at it. The theme: Obama is not like us. He doesn't understand America. He is, okay, let's just get it out there--the Other.
But Rudy wasn't being racist. Oh, no. Far from it, according to Giuliani:
“Some people thought it was racist — I thought that was a joke, since he was brought up by a white mother, a white grandfather, went to white schools, and most of this he learned from white people,” Mr. Giuliani said in the interview. “This isn’t racism. This is socialism or possibly anti-colonialism.”And, bizarrely, apropos of nothing, "President Obama didn't live through 9/11, I did."
So at the end of the day, you know who comes out smelling like a rose? Obama does. Because every person not so inclined toward stupid--Republican, Democrat, Independent, and Other--will now have to come out and defend the president. They'll have to condemn such remarks and remind the Americans that we're all Americans. Even Obama. Some of them--those who know November, 2016 isn't that far away--will have to hold their noses to do it, but do it they will.
The punditry will be grabbing at Obama quotes to prove he does love his country, he does love you and me, he doesn't love Muslims more than he loves Christians, he's not a Communist or an anti-colonialist, he doesn't just say bad things about America.
And all President Obama has to do is sit back and let it happen.
So thank you, Rudy. Well done! Now come on over here and let me give you a big 'ol hug.
(Read it at Dagblog and Freak Out Nation)
He just has to bring up 9/11. Can't stop himself.
ReplyDeleteRemember that during his attempted Presidential campaign? It seemed like every third word out of his mouth was "9/11".
ReplyDeleteOh, I remember and since then, he just can't stop. I lived in NYC when it was bombed. He did a good job really, but that's over. During the present time, that's all he has to run on.
ReplyDeleteIf it hadn't been for 9/11 no one would remember him at all.
ReplyDeleteEven Kevin D. Williamson, in a really vile article at National Review, wrote, "He said this at a small, private dinner for Scott Walker, who probably will not be inviting Giuliani to very many events in the near future." I'm working on two (!) articles about this whole thing. There's a lot of interesting material. But none of it is about the most obvious thing: it was totally racist! It just shows how far the Republicans have lost it when a major figure in their party can say something so clearly racist. I love the bit about his mother. Maybe he should have gone with tradition, "I want to tell you one more thing I know 'bout the negro." He could have followed it up with this thoughts on miscegenation and a quote from his favorite Bible verse, Genesis 9:27. Geez!
ReplyDeleteLol, Frank, of COURSE it was racist. That's why he keeps saying he won't take anything back. Mission accomplished!
ReplyDeleteDid you see Jonathan Chait's response? He really wants to take the claim seriously and not just call it racist. But he drills down and there is no there there. Except for the racism.
ReplyDeleteI think Biden was right when he said Giuliani speeches consist of a noun, a verb, and 9/11.
ReplyDeleteI hope that people do respond as you say, and I agree that some will. Still, the corporate media will flog this every day and never speak a word about the rest of what was said at that meeting between sponsors and their representatives..
Right! You bring up a good point--someone was there recording what Giuliani said so they must have been there for the rest of it. And I'll bet it wasn't all fun and games.
ReplyDeleteI've read that Rudy wasn't even invited to speak. He sort of crashed the podium. Have to wonder how many are now shaking in their boots, waiting for THE REST OF THE STORY to come out. Excellent.